Right now, U.S. immigration policies violate our collective values and common sense because they recall a painful past.

By Bernard Simelton

One of the many protests of Alabama's anti-immigrant law, HB 56. (File)

Alabama’s anti-immigrant policies have established a new low for our state. Rather than bringing people together, these policies have done nothing but divide the populous.

Gov. Robert Bentley has bragged that Alabama’s immigration law is the toughest in the nation, and many of our legislators have bought into this. Several of our politicians have only encouraged a negative environment by spreading false propaganda that scapegoats immigrants for our nation’s problems and creates resentment against them. What we really need, however, is common-sense federal immigration policy that upholds the values we hold dear.

These immigration policies violate our values and common sense because they are outdated and unfair. For instance, if you come from Europe, it’s easier to obtain citizenship than if you come from a country south of the border, or someplace like Haiti. We should be pushing our congressional leaders in Washington to develop an immigration policy that is fair and equitable to all.

Our current policies violate our values and common sense because they break up families. Our laws, as written, encourage the deportation of parents with children who were born in the U.S. These children often end up in foster care when their parents are discovered by immigration. I’ve heard several stories of husbands being taken away while their wives do not know where they are. I’ve also heard of stories where children’s grades begin to fall because of fear of what the future may bring to their families. There is no way for those parents to gain authorized status, even if they are working here, paying taxes and learning English..

Right now, U.S. immigration policies violate our collective values and common sense because they recall a painful past. There are those who would compare the struggle for citizenship rights to the struggle that African Americans faced during the 1950s and ‘60s. There certainly are similarities and differences. However, whether you look at it as similar or different, Alabama’s anti-immigrant policies are flat out wrong. African Americans faced people like Bull Connor and other law enforcement personnel in the Deep South who made their own laws and had a total disregard for the law of the land. The court system at the time was a total circus, especially when it came to African Americans facing a jury.

One would think Alabama has learned from its past, but it seems we are repeating our mistakes. In the African American community, there’s a belief that some law-enforcement personnel would use the law to conduct further illegal searches by stating that this person looks like he or she is undocumented. We do not need to provide any additional leverage for law enforcement to racially profile people. Racial profiling is a degrading practice, yet continues largely unchecked. It violates the human and civil rights of those targeted.

As president of the NAACP, we receive several complaints each month in which individuals believe they were victims of racial profiling. However, it’s difficult -- almost impossible -- to prove, so most cases go unreported and nothing is done. Alabama’s anti-immigrant policies are not only affecting the Latino community, but also African Americans. We are all in this together.

Finally, our current policies violate common sense because they alienate business. Alabama should be doing all it can to attract industry to our state. However, if you are a foreign company, would you want to establish a business in a state where your workers that come from out of the country will be subject to unnecessary stops and possible searches?

Alabama has a tremendous amount of work to do to become the kind of state that demonstrates loves for each other, brings common sense back into our policymaking, and becomes the kind of state our children deserve. If Alabama is to move into the 21st century along with the rest of the country, then we must address the inequality in treatment of its people.

Wake up, Alabama! We can rise above this and be a state that sets the standard in working to improve conditions for all people, regardless of race, national origin or the color of their skin.

Bernard Simelton Sr. is president of the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP. Email:info@alnaacp.org. He wrote this through Alabama Forum.

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